How do you eat? Do you follow a eating plan? If so, what? What rules do you have for yourself?

How often do you exercise? What do you do in terms of exercise? Walking/running/Gym?

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For me, I am not following any specific plans. I am learning on how to eat better..sticking to foods that are GOOD for me. I don't eat a lot of junk, never have. The problem has always been with the foods that I *do* eat, it's a high calorie/high fat/processed easy foods. Not good. In the past few months, I've been incorporating a lot of fresh fruits and veggies into my life and I've gotten rid of processed things like box dinners (I cook from scratch now) and cookies/chips, ect. It's NEVER in my house anymore. What I've found to be helpful for me, is to stay in the outside isles in the grocery store and NOT spend a lot of time in the inside isles. It works wonders. I've also found that right when I get home from the grocery store (I buy a lot of fruits and veggies at Sams Club/in bulk), I chop and portion everything as soon as I get home. That way, it's easily accessible to me rather then when I'm really hungry, I won't have to wait or even make an excuse as to why I can't eat something healthy, kwim (know what I mean)? So it makes it easier for me. I do eat a good mix of the GOOD carbs in the early AM. It gets me pumped and I don't get hungry until lunch (sometimes I'll fit in a apple or something like that). I feel very satisfied after breakfast. I usually eat the regular oatmeal (I cook it myself) with some granola ontop or some fresh sliced up apples in it. Lunch is usually protein and veggies or a salad with chicken.

As far as exercise goes...I've been bad about that lately. I have belonged to a Gym (Ladies Workout Express..it's just like Curves) for a year now and only went for the first 2 or 3 weeks and stopped going. Life got busy and I made excuses as to why I couldn't put my hour in 4 days a week. I'm under contract so I've been paying $30 a month and have not been consistant. I'm mad at myself. What really burns me is that I LOVE it there. The women are great and I had GREAT workouts. I loved working on the yoga balls and the machines..and it worked! I felt good the next day (sore, but good) and felt really good about myself. I'm starting back tomorrow.

I started with a radical change in diet. Originally I went low-fat vegetarian. I used to joke that it was 'no meat, no fat, no sugar'. At that stage I didn't count calories, but stuck within those guidelines. After I'd lost approx. 100 lbs I started with the treadmill. A friend who trains (and I mean serious training) kept bugging me that I wasn't getting enough protein. Of course he wanted me to take those horrible protein shakes he drinks. That or some concoction he makes with cottage cheese in a blender. (Yikes)

After that point I looked at South Beach, but I only took some of the concept from it. I make sure I take protein with my three meals, and it does seem to help the hunger pains. I rarely eat carbs in the traditional bread / pasta / rice / potato form. However, I still take in a lot through fruits / veggies, etc.

I use the treadmill daily (well 6 out of 7 is the plan) for at least 30 minutes. I've been off the new lifestyle for a while due to an illness, but have started back as of last week. For me, it's a lifestyle change, not a diet.

I know with carbs, I tend to get into trouble. I remember watching "Low carb and Lovin' it" on the Foot Network channel one day and he made a recipe that was called "Mock Mashed potatoes" and he used cauliflower (and mashed it up and added salt and pepper, ect. just like you would with mashed potatoes) and he said it turns out just like mashed potatoes and tastes great! I'm going to try it!

I've lost most of my weight using the Weight Watcher's program. I like the new Core program especially. However, lately I've been practicing balanced eating, which consists of eating small meals 6 times a day and having a lean protein, carb and fat at each meal. The carbs are fruits, vegetables and whole grains; the fats are things like nuts, olives, avocados, olive oil, canola oil. So a breakfast would be 1/2 c fat free cottage cheese, 1/3 c mandarin orange slice, 1/2 c blueberries, topped with 6 almonds that I've sliced. That would be 2 proteins, 2 carbs, and 2 fats.

I exercise every day for an hour to 1 1/2 hours a day. Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Saturday are hydrofit (deep water aerobics) classes, and Tuesday and Thursday is circuit training (weights) followed by another 30-35 minutes of weight lifting. On Sunday I "rest" and go for a 40 min. brisk walk. I often walk for 15 min. or more on the other days, and stretch, too. On Tuesday I add a yoga class, which I'm really bad at, but I'm learning.

Sounds like you've got your eating down, and just need to add some exercise. Good luck with your plan!

I think the thing with me, is that I need to get into the groove of eating more smaller, healthier meals, throughout the day. I always eat only 3 times a day...breakfast, lunch and dinner. Not good. I tend to feel hungry more. So I'm getting into the groove of eating a good/big breakfast and a small snack (fruit usually) and then lunch, then a snack or two and then dinner. We have a rule to where we don't eat past 7pm. Gives us time to where it's not sitting in our bellies for when we go to bed and we're working on not having carbs at dinner either. We just don't need it at dinner time. A good source of protein and veggies is important. I keep my carbs for during the day..usually breakfast as it gets me going/packed with energy.

I'm basically doing exercise and not bothering about my eating too much - and when I say exercise I mean running, which I appreciate is daunting for someone with a lot of weight to lose. Somehow though I got itinto my head that I wanted to run, and because of my denial about my weight (I never really believed I was that big) I couldn't really use that as an excuse against it. It's not for everyone, but it's worked wonders for me.

In terms of eating, I've cleaned up what I eat and try to eat more fresh, natural, unprocessed foods but I don't really follow any set plan and eat what I want when I want. My only "rule" is to get 5 portions of fruit and veg a day (most days, anyway) and not to eat when I'm not hungry. I eat late in the evening if I'm hungry, and I snack on fruit all day long.

It's a trade off, some people prefer to watch their food and do less exercise, because I vaguely enjoy exercise now I'd rather just do lots of that and be far more relaxed about what I eat.

__________________Helen

SW - 260, Original GW - 160 - achieved 21 March 2006, CW erm... I'll get back to you on that

What I'm doing now is calorie counting, I like an average 1950 calories per day, keeping my fat 30% (or less) of calories; carbs about 50% of calories and protein 20% of calories. I eat anything I like, within my calorie limits, for the most part anyway. I also drink at least 64 oz of water each day, usually more.
What has helped me shift the most weight, is exercise! I do 1 hour of Tae Kwon Do twice a week, run 3 days a week, and strength train 2-3 days a week. I like to get in 1 bike ride a week as week and I also do what I call my "core exercises" 4-5 days a week. Occasionally I will mix it up some more and do a yoga DVD once during the week.
My exercise is very important to me and I will go over in calories more often than skip a work out! Do I like exercise? Not really, but I like how it makes me feel and how my body is shrinking!

I am doing the SureSlim plan. Basically it is three meals a day (5 hours between meals), and each meal you have a serving of protein and 2 servings of vegetables (low carb) and/or fruits. The plan is very structured and holistic and works for me. For excercise, I have a very active lab, so I walk her everyday (about 30 minutes), and a good hour each day on the weekend. As well, I do boxing at the local gym, which is a fabulous way to burn off the stress of the say.

Deanna, it sounds like you are doing the right thing, and making lifestyle changes.

I am basically... um.. *thinks a moment* "counting calories and making healthier choices based around eating more frequently with protein" *takes a breath* Yeah. That's it.

I know that I need protein to keep me feeling satisfied, and so my blood sugar doesn't go weird on me. (I have PCOS. )

"Low carb" doesn't work for me as a lifestyle, but limited carb does. I focus on eating 1500-1800 calories a day, with five fruits/veggies. I eat five times a day -- breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner -- to keep my hunger (and headaches) at bay. I try to choose whole grains over processed grains, and I tend to avoid or limit the serving amount of the seriously carb-laden side dishes like potatoes and rice. My plan has to be flexible enough to deal with a picky 4 year old and a lifestyle that includes eating out at least once a week.

I tried the low-fat vegetarian route for a while, and I just could NOT stop being hungry. I ate and ate and ate, and never was satisfied. Then I did some research into PCOS and realized that many, many people with it do much better when they focus on protein rather than carbs. So that's what encouraged me to make the switch.

I try to incorporate "lifestyle" exercise into my daily activities. I stop a stop sooner on the Metro and walk the extra four blocks to my building. I walk back to that stop in hte evening. I take the stairs in the parking garage or my office building if it's one or two flights.

Then a couple times a week I aim to do something more solidly "exercise-y" for half an hour or more -- I swim, or I garden, or I bike, or I take a longer walk.

I am basically... um.. *thinks a moment* "counting calories and making healthier choices based around eating more frequently with protein" *takes a breath* Yeah. That's it.

I know that I need protein to keep me feeling satisfied, and so my blood sugar doesn't go weird on me. (I have PCOS. )

"Low carb" doesn't work for me as a lifestyle, but limited carb does. I focus on eating 1500-1800 calories a day, with five fruits/veggies. I eat five times a day -- breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner -- to keep my hunger (and headaches) at bay. I try to choose whole grains over processed grains, and I tend to avoid or limit the serving amount of the seriously carb-laden side dishes like potatoes and rice. My plan has to be flexible enough to deal with a picky 4 year old and a lifestyle that includes eating out at least once a week.

I tried the low-fat vegetarian route for a while, and I just could NOT stop being hungry. I ate and ate and ate, and never was satisfied. Then I did some research into PCOS and realized that many, many people with it do much better when they focus on protein rather than carbs. So that's what encouraged me to make the switch.

I try to incorporate "lifestyle" exercise into my daily activities. I stop a stop sooner on the Metro and walk the extra four blocks to my building. I walk back to that stop in hte evening. I take the stairs in the parking garage or my office building if it's one or two flights.

Then a couple times a week I aim to do something more solidly "exercise-y" for half an hour or more -- I swim, or I garden, or I bike, or I take a longer walk.

This is basically me, except for the whole "Metro" thing. I walk (either in our neighborhood or on our treadmill) for 45 minutes-1 hour a day most days of the week. I try to do errands on foot, too. I'm following Weight Watchers Flex Points and trying to 'spend' my Points basically this way. I read once that it's a good idea to eat food "as close to the way it grows as possible". It seemed like a good idea, and seriously eliminates the processed-food thing! I shop on the outside of the grocery store for the most part. I venture into the aisles for things like tea, hubby's cereal, and spices/condiments.

My snack in the morning is light yogurt and applesauce/fruit; my snack in the afternoon is basically half my dinner. You really wouldn't look at what I eat at any point and think it's just 'grabbing a snack'. They're all mini-meals. I try never to eat something without protein--carbs straight up make me crash hard.

__________________
Change the wagon--Glory87
Unhealthy food isn't a right, nor is it a privilege--lessofsarahtolove

I'm with YP1 - Exercise, exercise and more exercise - it covers a multitude of naughty food moments! That said, I do watch what I eat and try to stick to around 1600 calories a day. I cut out most of the junk and eat wholegrain stuff and lots of fruit and veggies. I rarely snack between meals, but if I am hungry then I'll have some fruit or cereal.

I started off slowly with the exercise - gentle swims and walks, but have now joined a gym and just love getting really hot and sweaty 6 days a week as it fires up my brain and fills me with energy! I realise now that I am never going to banish treats and 'naughty days' 100% from my diet ( I ) - but with the amount of exercise I am doing, my metabolism burns it off without any weight gain.

I could have lost weight quicker if I was alot more disciplined with my eating, but I am happy with my weight loss so far and am more than happy with the route I am taking as I know it is now my lifestyle rather than a diet.

Its not so much about loosing weight (although a size 16-12 sounds rather apealing) its getting my heart fit, its getting my PCOS under control (I too have PCOS no blood sugar issues, but I dont ovulate but 3 times a year on average, and only mentstrate every 2-4 months)

Its about eating right so my children will NEVER have to worry about their weight to this extent. So the worst thing they might worry about is 20-30 lbs.. not this 200 lbs to loose crap

Its just the little things in life that I want to be around for.. 300 lbs or 200 lbs..

We are carb consious, we rarely make processed foods, I cook from scratch ALOT more than I used to.